Orthodontic appliance.



1. r. KINEHAN. ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE APPLICATION FILED. DEC. 29. I916.

Patented Sept, 18,1917.

Wiizorney JOHN JAMES KINEHAN, 0? LBS Ahlfl-ELEE, CJUeIFUIENIE-Lt.

specification of Letters Patented Sept. 18, 191i 7..

Application filed December 29, 1916. Serial No. little-$9.

orthodontic appliances, and particularly to that class of apparatus inwhich tooth bands are so'fastened to the arch band that twisting orrotary or other strains may be placed upon any desired teeth, withoutthe possibility of the clamping means employed, permitting the arch wireto move longitudinally, or in a rotary manner with respect to the toothbands.

It is an object of the invention to providean orthodontic'appliance inwhich the individual tooth bands may be so clamped upon the arch wire bymeans of a sharp bend in the wire, that it is absolutely impossible forone to slip, with respect to the other one, or the arch wire to slip orturn with respect to the tooth bands.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an orthodonticappliance with an arch wire or band formed as described, which isprovided with lateral or angular projecting portions opposite thetooth'bands, whereby the tooth bands may be caused to grip the saidlateral or ofli-se't' portions of the Wire.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the classdescribed, in which a bend in the, arch wire may be gripped by means ofa socket member and a cap member, said cap member having an extension soconstructed as to engage and hold the bend in the wire positivelybetween the members, whereby the wire cannot slip longitudinally orrotatively.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certainnovel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will behereinafter more fully de scribed and claimed.

, In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the teeth of an upper jaw, showing theimproved orthodontic appliance of the present invention, in positionthereon.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the teeth and device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a single tooth with a band thereon, andshowing the cap or clamping member of the gripping device labiallyarranged.

Fig. 4. is a similar view, but showing the cap. of the clampingdevice'occlusally arranged.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a'banded tooth, but showing the clampingmember of the gripping device gingivally arranged.

Fm. 6 side'elevation ofa pair of teeth with hands thereon, and showing aportion of an arch wire clamped labially thereon.

Fig. 'l is topv plan view of a tooth band upon an enlarged scale, andshowing one of the arch clamping devices mounted thereon.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken through one of the clampingdevices, but showing a bent wire or band extending throngh the same inside elevation.

' Fig. 9 is aplanview of the-wire engaging socket member of one of theclamps, the arch wire bein shown in place therein.

Fig. $0 is a sectional view taken transversely througlra wire holdingdevice at intermediate points, where it does not need to be clamped.

The appliance of the present invention is designed to aflord anorthodontic. mechanism, in which means for clamping any teeth thatrequire moving to correct malocclusion, can be positively connected withthe arch wire of the mechanism, without injury to the material ofthesaid arch wire or hand, and without subjecting the same to theeffects of heat, as in the case of soldering or welding. A very positiveconnection between the tooth band. and the arch wire can be had bythesoldering of one device to the other, but it is substantially impossibleto resort to this expedient, and yet not affect the temper of the springarch wire, thus weakening the device; With the device of the presentinvention, the arch wire is positively gripped in such a way that the.

clamping -means cannot slip longitudinally or turn about the archwire,yet without the soldering of the parts. I

The details and features of the invention will now be more specificallydescribed,'reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which 5indicates an arch wire of an orthodo" tic appliance, 6 a tooth'band and7 a clarr ing device for connecting the tooth As in ortho liances,heretofore used, the arch sped to approximate as nearly band with thesaid arch wire. dontrc ap wire 5 is nearly as possible to the idealarch, are pro-' as possible an ideal or perfect arch for the teeth to beoperated on. The pidivldual teeth which are to be brought to conform asvided with bands 6 of any usual or ordinary type. The control over; theposition of the individual teeth is secured by the clamping means 7,which is connected tothe tooth band 6, and is so formed as tomechanically grip the arch wire in a manner to prevent longitudinalmovement on said wire, or -a rotary or twisting actionwith respectthereto. I

The clamping means 7 preferably comprises a base block or socket member8, having a recess 9 formed centrally therein, andextending transverselyacross the saidblock.

Wherever a tooth bandisto be fastened to the'arch wire, the said archwire is bent laterally. with respect to the other portions of the wireas at 10. Such lateral bent por-v in any desired manner or any desiredshape,

it ii within the spirit and scope of the invention, but a simple lateralcrimp or double bendto the extent of approximately the diameter of thewire as shown in Fig. 8, is ample to so connect the'clamping means andthe band or wire, that one is positively held against; movement 1n anydirection, with respect to the other. The block of the socket member 8is provided centrally with a bifurcated stem or connection 11, theouter, surface of which is screw threaded as at 12. A cap or clampingmember 13 is provided, being substantially a nut shaped piece, havinginterior threads 14 adapted to engage the threads 12 of the stem 11 Theinterior of the cap member or nut is provided with a central stud or pin15, made of suflidient length to extend into the hollow depressed 1portion or recess formed by the bend in the arch wire or band. The saidstud 15 is accommodated by an enlargement 16 of the transverse wirereceiving notch or recess of the bifurcated portion of the stud 11. Thesaid enlargement 16 is outwardly flared at 17 to receive a tapered baseportion 18 formed upon the said stud 15, so that when the screw cap ornut is tightened into its clamping position, the portions of thebifurcated stud will be somewhat crowded in the corners of the nut,making substantially a lock for preventing the unscrewing of the parts.

Any tendency of the outer ends of said bifurcated stud 11. to becontracted or spread is absolutely prevented by the outer walls of thecap or nut, and the inward movement of said stud parts is preventedfbythe tapered base of the stud pin 15. The said stud pin 15 is preferablyrounded at its ends, so "as to fit the curved shape of the band in thearch wire, so that the said pin holds the said.

bent portion 10 of the arch wire; in the socket 9, thus rendering anylpngitudinal movement upon the wire imposs1ble,and at the same timeguarding against any rotative movement whatever between the wire and theclamp. The external shape of the cap or nut 13 may be varied asdescribed, but, of course, it is many sided, being usually square,hexagonal, octagonal, or the like.

In applying the clamping devicev to a tooth band, the base portion orsocket mem her 8 may be disposed upon the band, so

that the cap or nut 13 extends labially, as

shown in Figs. 1, 2 3 and 6 of the drawing. 7

If however, a tooth has been crowded back out of place-between twoadjacent teeth, and

must be drawn forwardly by the arch, it is sometimes more convenient tofasten the block orsocket member 8 with one edge as 19 to the toothband, as shown in Fig. 4: of the drawing, in which event the cap'or nutmember 13 will be occlusally arranged. The

position of the teeth may also make it convenient to fasten the block orsocket member 8 to the band, so that the cap or nut will be. gingivallydisposed as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. Any. convenient socket orother wrench, adapted to fit the cap or nut 13 is used to screw thesaid, cap in assembling or separating the parts. The clamping deviceloan, of course, be applied to the band of a tooth in any desiredmanner, either subst-antiallystraight or in angular relation, as

will be readily understood. It will be evident, that the tooth band canthus be fastened to the arch wire, so that there isno possibility ofmovement between the parts and yet without the soldering of the deviceto the wire, and the danger of drawing'the temper of the metal thereof.

It will be noted by reference to Figs. 8 and 9, that the wire of'thearch 5 is not-merely clamped at a single point, or only for the lengthof the bend therein, but that the edges of the nut and the socket member8 extends outwardly upon the wire a sufficient distance beyond the bentportion thereof to obtain a firm alined hold or grip thereon, wherebythe. shape of the arch is not interfered with.

With arch clamping means as'heretofore employed it has been difficult tomake a sharp bend at points immediately adjacent to the clamps. With thedevice of the present'invent'ion, a sharp bend in the wire can be madeat a greater angle than a right angle, with respect to the portion ofthe wire outside the clamp, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 9.

It will be noted that'the clamping device of the present invention isnot only adapted fdr the securing of teeth to intermediate portionsthereof for treating them, but that the same kind of a clamp is just aseffective for anchoring the ends of the arch wire to the anchor teethholding the said wire in proper place, without the necessity of otherconnecting .means, as shown for instance, in Fi s. 1 and 2 of thedrawing.

s shown in Fig. 10, the socket member may be employed in connection witha cap member or nut 20 for loosely holding the wire 5, with respect tothe teeth, at points where it is not necessary to clamp the wire. Inthis instance, the cap or nut has a short center stud br pin 21 forengaging the bifurcated stud upon the socket member and acting as a nutlook, but said pin does not touch the wire, which in such an instancemerely extends through the clamping means The single spring wire arch ashas here tofore been known, is found to be effective for bringing movingstrains upon different teeth,=and is if anything, rendered more perfeetand effective by the simple mechanical clamping means employed inholding thetooth bands, with respect to the arch wire. The weakening ofthe Wire by soldering is entirely prevented, and the injury to the wireby a clamping means is absolutely ob viated for there are no mutilatingor biting portions in the clamping mechanism, which-- even roughens thesurface of the said Wire.

.While the arch wireis preferably a perfectly plain rounded wire, itWill be readily understood, of course, that itmay have any,

other desired cross sectional shape. 'It may thus be square,'hexagonal,or other many sided shapes, or may be flattened transversely so as to bein the nature of a band or ribbon, or any other desired shape, allwithin the spirit and scope of this invention.

' against the threads of the said cap i It will be readily understoodalso that as many clamps may be used on any of the tooth bands as founddesirable; Thus more than one clamp may be placed upon an anchor band,which are mountedon molar teeth, if additional strength is required inanchoring the arch in place. Such a duplication of clamps, of course,falls within the spirit of the invention.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. An orthodontic appliance comprising, a spring arch wire, havinglaterally projecting portions, adjacent to teeth to be affected, toothsecuring means having a. socketed member with a band receivingdepression therein, a nut member adapted to clamp the wire in saidsocket member, and having a wire engaging centering stud, having aflaring base portion adapted to lock the members together.

2. An orthodontic appliance, having an arch wire gripping means, made upofa socketed member, having a bifurcated screw stud adapted to projectaround the arch member, a cap member adapted to engage said screw stud,having a central centering band engaging pin therein, the said pinhaving a flaring base, the bifurcated screw stud having an enlargedportion for fitting upon said flaring base, whereby, the bifurcatedscrew stud will have its parts crowded to lock the parts in place. a Intestimony whereof, Ihave hereunto set my hand, in presence of twowitnesses.

v JOHN J AMES KINEHAN. Witnesses CASSELL SEVERANCE, ELLA Scorr.

